A member of 1956 Olympics fourth-place finishing Indian football squad, Nikhil Nandy died here on Tuesday after a prolonged illness, according to family sources. He was 88, and is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters.

Nandy, who formed the core of India's defence in the late 1950s, battled COVID-19 in September-October but later developed some renal problems and had to be hospitalised for more than a month. "He was back home (from hospital) but the treatment continued. His body could not take it anymore. He died around 2.20pm at his Nagerbazar residence on Tuesday," a family source said. The historic fourth-place finish in the 1956 Games in Melbourne was the best ever show by an Indian football team in the Olympics.